Rubber bushed tie rod joint



llg- 5, l947- A. VENDITTY 2,425,133

RUBBER BUSHD TIE ROD JOINT l Filed oct. :5o, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 EQ. vf P:zg.

- Ang. s, 1947. A. VENDI-m :2,425,138

RUBBER BUSHED TIE ROD JOINT Filed OCzt.v 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet i ientbushing material both as a road shock abthe inner bearing shell, oralternatively, can

. on an outer shell. through intel-particle flow of the bushing, the

mushy steering will not result. If thick blocks mus steering eects.

of unloaded rubber are used in tie rod joint l A further object of theinvention is to provide bushings, they will cause lost motions in thetie rod joints accommodating relative tilting and steering assembly andsoft or mushy steerrotating movements between the stud and socket ingwill result. 35 parts thereof wherein inner and outer bearing the parts.parts shown in vertical cross section, of atie rod The outer shell isseated on a complementaryjoint according to this invention. shaped walloi the socket and the inner shell is Figure 2 is a view similar toFigure 1 but illus- Patented ug. 5, 1947 y NIT RUBBER BUSHED TIE RODJOINT Anthony Venditty, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Thompson Products,yInc., a corporation oi Ohio Application ctober 30, 1941, SerialNog-117,078

9 Claims. (Cl. 287-485) 2 This invention relates to joints utilizingresilstud assembly can rotate on its own axis within sorber and as anautomatic wear take-up means carry the shell and bushing assemblytherewith in order that usual spring-type wear take-up as to effectrelative rotation between the outer bearsemblies canbe dispensed with. ging shell and thesocket. The stud can tilt rel-A More specifically theinvention relates to tie ative to the socket either throughinterparticle rod type joints having the headed ends of the flow of thebushing material which further Vde- .ioint studs seated in a bearingshell which is forms the bushing, or by virtue of relative tilting urgedinto proper bearing engagement by a surmovement between one or both ofthe shells and rounding resilient bushing mounted in the socket i thesocket orstud. When tilting is accomplished While the invention willhereinafter be partlcstud and socket member tend to return to theirularlsr described in connection with tie rod initial relative positionssince thebushing 'tends type joints, it should be understood that theprinto reclaimits original position. ciples of 'the invention areapplicable to any type l5 It is, then, an object of this invention toelimof joint assembly accommodating relative moveinate the usualspring-type wear take-up devices ments between the parts thereof. injoints without sacrificing the wear take-up in tie rod type joints it iscustomary to utilize features of thejoints. a coiled spring mounted inthe socket under com- A further object of the invention is to providepression for urging the stud and related bearing 2o springless jointsaccommodating relative rotatparts into proper bearing engagement.Accordv ing and tilting movements between the parts ing to thisinvention, the usual coil spring is now thereof and having automaticwear take-up feaeliminated, and automatic wear take-up of the tures. Abearing parts is accomplished by means of a re- A further object of theinvention is to provide sllient bushing such as a rubber bushing. tierod type joints having resilient bushing ma- The rubber bushing willalso absorb road shock terial acting as a Wear take-up means for the todampen out vibration from the wheels through bearing parts. the steeringassembly to the steering whe'el. A still further object is to providerubber However, since the rubber is loaded in the joint bashed jointsfor automotive steering assemblies socket and since it is limited inthickness, 90 whichwill absorb road shock without producing Inaccordance with the invention the rubber shells are resiliently urgedapart by a rubber bushing, ora pluralityof such bushings, is Vulbushinginto full seating engagement with stud canized to inner and outer shellspreferably and socket parts respectively. formed of self-lubricatingmetal such as graph- A specific object ofthe invention is to pronedbronze or the like. it simula be understood, 4 vide me rod points withdeformable rubber bushhowever, that the shells can be composed of anyings xedly secured to inner and outer bearing metal, or thatnon-metallic woven fabric mateshells. rial can be used. The bushingholds the inner Other and further objects of the invention will andouter shells in spaced relation and isdebecome apparent to those skilledin the art from formed by the socket closure plate into a stressed thefollowing detailed descriptions of the anposition with the shells incloser relation. The nexed sheets of drawings which, by way ofprebushing, when so stressed, tends to reclaim its ferred examples,illustrate several embodimen unstressed position and, in so doing, urgesthe of the invention. bearing parts into proper bearing position and Onthe drawings: automatically. takes up any wear developed in Figure 1 isa broken side elevational view, with seated on a complementary-shapedbearing portrating the joint studintilted position. tion of the stud orstud assembly. The stud or Figure 3 is a broken horizontalcross-sectional parts in vertical cross section, of a ball and socketjoint according to this invention.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rubber bushed bearingshells used in the joints i of this invention Figure '7 is an explodedside elevational view with parts shown in vertical cross section, of theball and socket joint illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a broken side elevational view with parts invertical crosssection, of anothermodifled form of joint according to this invention.

Figure 9 is an vexplode l view 4of the Joint parts shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a broken side elevational view with parts in vertical crosssection of still another modied joint according to this invention.Figure l1 is an exploded view of the parts of th'e joint of Figure 10. y

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 6 but illustratinganother form of inner shell vulcanized to the rubber bushing.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures l to 4 the reference numeral III designates generally a tierod joint including a socket II having a laterally extending threadedshank portion IIa for threaded insertion into the end of a tie rod. Thesocket I I deilnes a socket chamber I2 having a segmental sphericalinner bearing wall I3 which converges inwardly to provide a reducedopening I4 at the top of the socket ch'amber. The bottom of the socketchamber I2 is closed by a plate or disk I5 which is spun or peened intothe socket II against a shoulder I8 formed at the end of the chamber I2.

A stud II has a half-ball head I3 disposed in the socket chamber I2 anda shank portion I9 projecting freely from the socket chamber through theopening I4. A semi-spherical button end of smaller diameter than th'ehead I3 is formed integrally with the stud under the head I8 at theaxial center of the stud.

A cap member 2l supported on the closure plate I5 has asegmental-spherical depression 2Ia-in the head thereof receiving aportion of the button end 23.

In accordance with this invention, and as best shown in Figure 6, abearing shell unit 22 is provided for disposal between the socketbearing wall I3 and the stud h'ead I8. This unit 22 is composed of anouter segmental spherical metal shell 23, an inner segmental sphericalmetal shell 24 partially nested within the shell 23, and an interposedrubber ring or bushing 25. The shells 23 and 24 are integrally aillxedto the inner and outer faces of the rubber bushing as by vulcanizing.The shells can be composed of lubricantimpregnated metal such asgraphited bronze or any other bearing material. Alternatively the shellscan be composed of flexible fabric material.

4The inner shell 24 has an inner face receiving the head I8. The outershell 23 has an outer face for seating on the bearing wall I3 of thesocket.

When the `ioint parts are assembled as shown in Figure 4, the unit 22 ismerely dropped into the socket so as to position the shell 23 thereof onthe socket wall I3. The stud is next dropped into the inner shell 24 toseat the head Il thereof 4 in the shell. The cap member 2i is nextdisposed on the button end of the stud and the closure plate I5 is th'enforced against the shoulder I3 ofthe socket.. This forcing of the studeffects deformation of the rubber bushing 25 from its unstressedposition as shown in Figure 6 to the stressed position shown in Figures1 and 2. 'I'he closure plate I5 is then spun into the socket as sh'ownin Figures 1 and 2.

The deformation of the rubber bushing 25 by forcing the closure plate I5against the shoulder I3 places the bushing under stress and it thustends to urge the shells 23 and 24 apart thereby maintaining the shellsin good bearing contactwith the socket bearing wall I3 and the stud headI3 respectively. The stud is free to rotate about its own axis withinth'e bearing shell 24 or, alternatively, can carry the unit 22 therewithto rotate the outer shell 23 on the socket wall I3.

Tilting movements of the stud relative to the socket are accommodatedthrough further interparticle ilow or stressing of the rubber as bestillustrated in Figure 2. The stud carries the inner shell 24 therewithduring tilting movements as the rubber is subjected to shear stresseswhich as a wear take-up member but also as a tilting movementaccommodating member.

In the ball and socket joint construction shown in Figures 5 and 7 partssubstantially identical with parts described in Figures 1 to 4 and 6have been identified with the same reference numerals.

'I'he ball and socket joint 30 shown in Figures 5 and 7 hassubstantially the same socket II-de scribed in Figures 1 to 4. However,a stud 3I is provided with a substantially full ball end 32. A pair ofbushing units 22 are used to encase the ball head 32 instead of thesingle unit 22 used in the construction of the joint shown in Figures 1to 4. The pair of units 22 have th'e inner shells 24 thereofrespectively receiving the top and bottom half-portions of the ball head32. 'I'he inner shell 24 of the unit 22 which receives the upper half ofthe ball head 32 hasthe outer shell 23 thereof seated on th'e socketbearing wall I3. The outer shell 23 of the unit 22 receiving the lowerportion of the ball end 32 is seated in the semispherical recess 33 of aclosure cap 34. This closure cap 34 has an annular flange 35 which isforced against the shoulder I6 of the socket and peened into position asshown in Figure 5. Both of the rubber bushings 25 in the respectiveunits 22 are thus deformed and h'eld in stressed condition by theclosure cap 34. 'I'hls cap 34 has the recess-defining wall thereofcooperating with the socket wall I3 to form a substantially full ballseat for the outer shells 23. As shown in Figure 5 the inner and outershells of the pair of units 22 are forced into abutting relation by theclosure cap.

The ball stud is free to tilt and rotate about its own axis within theball socket provided by the inner pair of bearing shells 2l.Alternatively.' of course, the outer pair of bearing shells 23 couldaccommodate such movements. lAny wear developed on the bearin'gparts isautomatlcally taken up by the stressed rubber bushings.

In the joint 40 disclosed in Figures 8 and 9,` the socket member Il isthe same as the socket the like is press-fittedonto the stud 4l aroundthe cylindrical portion 42 thereof and against the ange or collar d3thereof. This metal ring 45 thus frictionally embraces the portions d2and E3 of the stud and travels therewith. The metal ring 45 has asegmental spherical outer bearing wall 45a for bearing engagement withthe inner shell 2d of the bushing unit 22.

The joint lill will operate in the same manner as the joint l describedin Figures 1 to 4 and diiers from the joint construction of Figures 1 to4 mainly in the provision of a separate bearing ring in press-fittedrelation to the stud. This bearing ring can conveniently be formed of alubricant-impregnated metal such as Oilita In this mcdication tiltingmovement of the inner bearing shell 2d with the stud is insured by theabutment between the bottom of the shell and the ange i3 as shown inFigure 8. In the structure of Figures 1 to 4 the bearing shell 2d Jterparticle ow of the rubber since the stud will contacts, thecylindrical neck I9 of the stud durduring tilting movements so that theshell is carried with the stud.

In the joint 50 shown in Figures 10 and ll the same socket member Hdescribed in Figures 1 to 4 is used and parts thereof have beenidentified with the same reference numerals. unit 22 described abovexedly carriesl an inner bearing ring 5l in the inner shell 2d thereof.This bearing ring 5l can be spot-welded, soldered or otherwise xedlysecured to the shell 2d. The ring 5l has an outer face of the samecontour as the bearing shell and has a bell mouthed circular aperture 5la therethrough. l

A stud 52 has a cylindrical portion 53 extending through the opening lilof the socket and prof vided with a bell mouthed end 53a in the socket.This bell mouthed end 53a, is shaped complementary to the aperture 5 l aof the bearing ring 5l The usual button end 54 is provided on the studunder the bell mouthed portion 53a thereof. An axial bore 55 is drilledinto the bottom end of the stud through the button end and into the bellmouthed portion of the stud 'as shown. A second bore 56 is drilledradially through theV bell mouthed portion of the stud intocommunication with the bore 55. v f

The cap member 2l has a hole 2lb drilled through the depressed portionZla thereof. When the socket chamber l2 is packed with grease, thegrease can enter through the aperture dla, into the bores 55 and 56 forlubricating the bell mouthed bearing surfaces of the stud and bearingring respectively.

The assembly is held in operative relation by forcing theclosure plateagainst the shoulder I6 as described above and the stud -52'wil1 rotateabout its own axis on the bell mouthed bearing surfaces 5Ia and 53a.However, tilting movements of the stud are accommodated through in- 'rhebushingL carry the bearing ring 5| therewith during tilting movementsand the bearing ring, being xed to the inner shell 24 of the rubberbushing unit, will, of course, move therewith to further stress therubber.

In the construction of Figures 10 and 11, therefore, a pair oflubricated bearing surfaces are provided for rotation ofthe stud aboutits own axis and the stressed rubber bushing is provided foraccommodating tilting movements of the stud in all planes.

Instead of using an inner bearing shell in the unit 22 for thejoint'constructlon of Figures 10 and 11,. the bearing ring 5l can bedirectly vulcanized to the rubber 25 as shown in Figure 12. The usualouter bearing shell 23 is used but the usual inner shell 24 is replacedwith the bearing ring 5 I From the above descriptions it will be clearlyunderstood that the invention provides various forms of joints allhaving automatic wear takeup features provided by a resilient bushing'ma- V terial which, in most instances, also accommodates tiltingmovements of the bearing parts through interparticle flow thereof.However, as is clearly evident from the modification in Figures 5 and 7,both tilting and rotating movements can be accommodated on a cooperatingpair of metal bearing surfaces. The stressing of the resilient bushingby a closure plate, in accordance with this invention, obviates thenecessity for usual spring wear take-up device.

The resilient bushing is loaded and has a rather limited thicknessbetween the above described shells to eliminate the soft or mushysteering effects usually produced by rubber bushed Vsteering assemblyjoints. However, a suicient amount of rubber is provided in the jointsto aby a bushing unit having a fragmental spherical outer bearing wallseated onx the inner bearing wall of the socket, a stud member having abearing wall disposed in said socket and converging in the same generaldirection as the fragmental spherical inner wall of the socket, saidbushing unit having an inner bearing wall receiving said bearing wall ofthe stud in relatively rotatable relation, said bushing unit having aresilient member between the bearing walls thereof, and a closure Iplatefor said socket cooperating with said stud to stress said resilientmember to maintain the bearing walls in proper bearing engagement.

2. A joint construction comprising a housing defining a socket chamberwith an enlarged opening at one end thereof and an inwardly convergingbearing wall at the other end thereof terminating in a reduced opening,a stud member.

having a headed portion seated in said chamber and a shank portion'extending through said rei duced opening, a bushing unit'compo'sed ofinner and outer bearing shells and an intermediate rubber bodyvulcanized to said shells receiving the inner shell and having the outershell seated in tiltable relationA on the bearing wall of the housing,said outer shell converging in the same direction as said convergingbearing wall of the housing, and a closure plate fixed in the large openend of the socket for acting on the stud to load the rubber body andmaintain the same under stress whereby the bearing shells of the bushingunit are constantly urged into proper bearing engagement with thehousing bearing wall and the stud head respectively;

3. A Joint construction comprising a housing defining a socket chamberwith a large open end, a bearing wall portion and a reduced oppositeopen end, a stud having a bearing head disposed in said socket chamberand a shank' projecting freely through the reduced open end of thechamber, a bushing unit composed oi'l a rubber body member with rigidinner and outer shells vulcanized thereto, said unit being interposedbetween the stud head and the bearing wall portion of the housing withthe inner shell rotatably receiving the bearing head of the stud and theouter shell being tiltably mounted on the bearing wall portion of thehousing, said bearing head of the stud, inner and outer shells of thebushing unit, and bearing wall portion of thehousing all converging inthe same general direction toward the reduced open end of the housing, aclosure plate for the large open end of the housing, and a cap membercarried by theY closure plate receiving a portion of said stud intiltable and rotatable relation for urging the stud head toward thereduced open end of the housing and in the direction of convergence oithe bearing head, the bearing wall of the housing, and the shells, toload the rubber body member for maintaining the shells .in properbearing engagement with the housing bearing wall portion and the studhead respectively.

4. A tie rod type joint comprising a housing defining an open endedsocket chamber with an inwardly converging Ibearing wall at one endthereof terminating in a reduced opening to the chamber, a stud memberhaving a bearing portion in said socket chamber and a shank porl tionprojecting freely through said reduced opening, a rubber bushing unitcomposed of a rubber body member and inner and .outer fragmentalvspherical rigid bearing shells vulcanized thereto, said unit beinginterposed between the stud bearing portion and the bearing rwall of thehousing, said inner shell rotatably receiving said bearing portion oi'the stud, said outer shell being tiltable on said converging bearingwall of the housing, and a closure cap for one open end of the socketchamber acting on the stud to load the rubber body member formaintaining the bearing shells of the bushing unit in proper bearingengagement with the bearing portion of the stud and the bearing wall ofthe housing respectively.

5. In a tie rod type joint, a cup shaped housing having an openingtherethrough and an internal bearing wall, a stud member having a headportion disposed in said housing providing a bearing wall and a shankportion extending through said opening, a rounded button end on saidstud disposed in said housing, a bearing unit composed of inner andouter bearing shells and an intermediate rubber body member xed to saidshells,

said bearing unit being interposed between the head portion of the studand bearing wall of the housing with the inner and outer shells thereofrespectively engaging the bearing 'walls of said head portion andhousing, a cap member having a depressed portion receiving the buttonend of said stud, and a closure plate forsaid housing holding said capmember against said button end of the stud to load the rubber bodymember of the bearing unit whereby the stud can rotate v about its ownaxis through relative movement between a bearing shell of the bearingunit and an adjacent bearing wall and whereby the stud can tilt in allplanes through interparticle flow of the rubber body member.

6. A ball and socket type joint comprising a housing deilning anopenended socket chamber with an inwardly converging bearing wall on oneend thereof terminating in a reduced opening to said chamber, a ballheaded stud having the ball end thereof disposed in said socket chamberand having a shank extending freely through said reduced opening of thechamber, a pair of rubber bushing units each having a rubber body memberand inner and outer semi-ball-shaped bearing shells iixed to the bodymember, one of said bushing units having the outer shell thereof seatedon the bearing wall of the housing and having the inner shell thereofreceiving a portion of the ball end of the stud adjacent the shankportion of the stud, the other of said bushing units having the innershell thereof receiving the free end portion oi' the ball end of thestud, and a closure cap for said housing having a recess receiving theouter shell of said other bushing unit, said closure cap being forcedinto said housing to load the rubber body members of both bushing unitsfor stressing the same whereby the ball stud can rotate 'and tilt in thehousing on the inner bushing shells of the bearing unit and whereby theloaded rubber bodies of the unit will maintain the inner shells thereofin good bearing relation with the ball stud. v

'1. A tie rod ty-pe joint comprising a housing deilning an open endedsocket chamber with an inwarly converging bearing wall terminating in areduced opening to the chamber, a stud member having a cylindricalbearing portion disposed in said chamber and a radially extending collarportion bottoming said cylindrical bearing portion. a rounded button endon said stud member under said collar portion, a bearing ring mountedaround the cylindrical bearing portion of the stud and against saidcollar portion to provide a head .portion on the stud, a rubber bushingunit composed of inner and outer metal bearing shells and anintermediate body member vulcanized thereto. said bushing unit beinginterposed between the bearing ring and the socket chamber bearing wallwith the vshells thereof in bearing engagement therewith, and a closurecap for said socket chamber acting against said button end of the studmember to deform the rubber bushing unit for holding the bearing shellsin good bearing relation with the respective cooperating parts.

8. A tie rod type joint comprising a housing defining an open endedsocket chamber with an inwardly converging bearing wall terminating inan opening of reduced size, a stud projecting free# 'ly through said`opening of reduced size and having an outwardly flaring bearing portiondisposed in said socket chamber, a bearing ring disposed around saidstud and bottomed. on said outwardly flaring portion of the stud, areduced rounded button end on said stud beneath the outwardly aringportion thereof, a bushing unit composed of a rubber body member andinner and outer metal bearing shells vulcanized thereto inbearing ringand the in- Wardly converging bearing Wall of thevsocket, a `cap memberhaving a rounded depression receiving the button end of the stud, and aclosure plate for the socket chamber urging said cap member against thestud to load the rubberbody member and maintain the bearing'shells ingood bearing relation with the bearing ring andthe socket chamberbearing Wall.

9. A tie rod type joint comprising a, bushing member having an innerbearing ring and a rubber body member vulcanized thereto, a stud ex#tending through said inner bearing ring and seating thereon in bearingrelation, a, housing mem-4 ber receiving the rubber body member,lubricating passages through said stud for lubricating the inner bearingring, and a closure plate for said housing member acting on said stud toload the rubber body member for holding the bearing ring in good bearingrelation with the stud.

ANTHONY VENDI'I'I'Y'.

l0 v REFERECES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,096,557 Peo Oct. 19, 19371,452,693 Lord Apr. 24, 1923 1,759,430 Benjamin May 20, 1930 1,300,023Riegel Apr. 8, 1919 2,071,341 Hufferd et al. Feb. 23, 1937 2,189,266Klages Feb. 6, 1940 2,205,981 Klages June 25, 1940 2,110,561 StephensMar. 8, 1938 2,009,401 Hufferd et al July 30, 1935 2,301,346 VendittyNov. 10, 1942 2,328,330 Edington Aug. 31, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 709,337 France May `18, 1931

